Whitfield Starts Vancouver Torch Relay

Double Olympic medalist Simon Whitfield and speed skating medalist Catriona Le May Doan had the prestigious honour of lighting the torch to start the journey of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic flame as it makes its way along a 45,000 km route across Canada. Dressed in white toques and tracksuits, Whitfield and Le May Doan then passed along the flame by lighting a torch held by Olympic rower Silken Laumann and Olympic diver Alexandre Despatie. “We were all a little nervous, lots of jokes (about not dropping the torch),” said Whitfield. “In the end a remarkable experience.” The flame will arrive back in Vancouver on February 12.